1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image forming devices and to toner container structures therefore having a rotating toner transfer mechanism for transferring toner from a first region to a second region of the container structure, and more particularly to a tubular sealing member for the rotating toner transfer mechanism in a skiving direction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming devices including copiers, laser printers, facsimile machines, and the like, include a photoconductive drum having a rigid cylindrical surface that is coated along a defined length of its outer surface. The surface of the drum is charged to a uniform electrical potential and is selectively exposed to light in a pattern corresponding to an original image. The areas of the drum surface exposed to light are discharged and form a latent electrostatic image on the drum surface. Developer material, such as toner having an electrical charge, is attracted to the drum surface and is used for forming the toned image.
The toner is typically contained in a structure such as a cartridge adjacent to the photoconductive drum for supplying the image forming material to a developer roller and to the photoconductive drum for forming a toned image on discharged portions of the photoconductive drum. A recording sheet, such as a blank sheet of paper, is then brought adjacent to the discharged photoconductive drum surface and the image forming material (toner) thereon is transferred to the recording sheet. The image forming material is then fused to the sheet using pressure and/or heat. The toner is typically transferred to the developer roller from a working reservoir within the cartridge. A toner transfer mechanism transfers amounts of toner from a storage reservoir to the working reservoir when the system calls for additional toner.
Additional background information on the structure and operation of image forming devices and toner container structures and toner supply mechanisms disposed within image forming devices generally may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 6,510,291 to Campbell et al., and in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0219709 by Hebner et al.
Toner container structures typically include a toner transfer mechanism having a rotatable toner transfer member that is cleared of toner by a rotatable member. In order to prevent unwanted leakage of toner from the toner storage reservoir to the toner working reservoir because of gaps in the toner transfer mechanism and its support structure, a reliable cost effective seal is needed and, in particular, a sealing member that is effective in a skiving direction of rotation of the toner transfer member is needed.
In electrophotographic or laser printers, there are frequently rotating components that are immersed in toner and must be properly sealed to prevent toner leakage into printers, leaking onto customers, or simply to contain toner in the area it needs to stay. Sealing the sides along the longitudinal axis of these rotating members usually involves thin flexible materials that are cantilevered from a base and lightly pressed against the rotating member. This works well in cases where the rotating surface of the member drags or pulls along the surface of the seal from its base where it is attached to its tip or free end. This is called the dragging direction. These thin seals do not work as well when the rotation is in the opposite direction, pushing from tip to base of the seal. This is called the skiving direction. In this case, varying friction between the seal and the rotating member or the positioning of the seal may cause the rotating member to catch or grab the edge of the seal causing the seal to buckle and flip under, thereby destroying the sealing action and releasing toner. It is often difficult, as printers get smaller and smaller, to architect the toner-containing bodies so that all flexible seals work in the dragging direction. It is desirable to have some seals work in the skiving direction.